Welcome to the FRD Center business blog. The FRD Center website is www.frdcenter.ro Email: europa@frdcenter.ro Tel: +4021 4111459 .... Are you looking for market expansion to Eastern Europe? To acquire a local player, to export, relocate, invest in emerging markets in Europe such as Romania, Poland etc.? What do you know about these markets? Are you looking for qualified local importer-distributors? Are you looking to consolidate your presence in the market, to manufacture and/or increase sales?

The increase reported for Q2 2015 ranks Romania 3rd
in the EU-28, taking into account the GDP evolution compared to Q2 2014, with 3.7%,
after Malta (+ 4.8%) and the Czech Republic (+ 4.4%), but ahead of Poland (+3.6%),
Spain (+3.1%), Slovakia (+3.1%), the EU-28 average being +1.9%.

The domestic economy has increased by 3.7% in H1 2015
compared to H1 2014, the growth of the domestic demand (contribution of 5.2%)
counterbalancing the negative contribution of the net external demand (1.5%). The
private consumption (the main GDP component) has increased by 5.4% in H1 2015
vs H1 2014 (contribution of 3.5% to GDP dynamics), supported by the VAT
reduction for food, the rising wages and the lending revival in RON.

According to NIS,
the following sectors have contributed to GDP growth in H1 2015 compared to H1 2014:

wholesale
and retail (+1.0%), with a contribution of 17.7% to the nominal GDP value and
by 5.6% in the activity volume increase

information
and communication (+0.9%), with a contribution of 7.2% to the nominal GDP
value and by 13.8% in the activity volume increase

industry
(+0.5%), with a contribution of 22% to the nominal GDP value

net
taxes on products (+0.5%), with a contribution of 13.6% in the nominal GDP
value.

In terms of the GDP use, the increase has been influenced by:

final consumption expenditure of households (+5.4%),
with a contribution of 3.5% in the GDP growth

gross fixed capital formation, with a
contribution of +1.5% as a result of the activity volume increase by 8.1%

The net export has had a negative contribution (-1.5%), due
to the increase of exports of goods and services by 6.3% correlated with increase
of imports of goods and services by 9.6%.

The Romanian imports in H1 2015 have recorded 30.3 billion EUR
and a growth of 6.9% compared to H1 2014, mainly due to the increase of imports
from EU countries by 8.4%, while imports from non-member EU states have
registered an increase of 2.1%. The share of EU member states in the Romanian
imports is higher with 76.9% (+1.1% compared to H1 2014).

In H1 2015 compared to H1 2014, the following dynamics have
been recorded:

construction
(+3.6%)

trade
/ transport / HoReCa (+5.6%)

IT&C
(+13.8%)

agriculture
(+2.2%)

industry
(+2.2%)

For tailor-made market research and opportunity analysis, acqusition target search, as well as B2B matchmaking with players in Romania and the emerging markets in Europe, feel free to contact FRD Center team at:

What Clients say about us

Fred van der Meer, Ministry of Economic Affairs, The Netherlands The FRD Center organized for my group of 16 companies, custom-made business meetings, all resulting in potential future business.

Rob Costongs, Marketing Manager at C&H Maastricht (The Nederlands)Jackie and her team at FRD organised the matchmaking during the trade mission of the Dutch government in Romania. We from C&H Maastricht were very satisfied with the number and quality of the companies that FRD had researched for us and met us during the trade mission.

Ender Bozkurt, Board Member @ Novatemed Innoceuticals A.S. & Private Investment Advisor (Turkey) The FRD Center team are very knowledgeable and experienced. They run a very well structured execution plan for the service they provide. Even though we were behind the schedule when consulted them, they put things together in a short time without any flaw and they followed-up until completion of the project. I would recommend FRD Center for your market entry endeavours and I ensure you that you will get results thanks to their professional manner and the high degree of quality service they provide.Yoav Rottenberg, Business Manager - Europe at Naton Medical Group (China)"Jackie and FRD Center helped our company with our business development in Romania. They provided us with valuable information regarding the key players in the market and were very successful in locating potential customers for us and arranging the meetings. They did all this in a very short period of time and for a very reasonable price. I highly recommend.”

Top qualities: Great Results, Good Value, On Time

David Butler, Country Manager, Hungary & Romania, Enterprise Ireland (Ireland)“I wish I knew 10 Jackies! Extremely hardworking, professional, resourceful and full of initiative, she's also very thoughtful and lots of fun to work with - I can't recommend her highly enough.”

Marianne Vandenbosch, EMBA Program Manager, IMD Lausanne (Switzerland)"FRD Center worked with the IMD Executive MBA program, helping us to develop and deliver our discovery expedition to Bucharest. Their in depth knowledge of Bucharest and of doing business in Bucharest was very helpful to us. The FRD Center team are very reliable and deliver what is promised. Working with them over a number of years, they were able to offer better service each time. FRD Center teamare very reliable and willing to go the extra mile to make sure everything works out as planned."

Lau Brüniche-Olsen, Business Development Consultant, Confederation of Danish Industry (Denmark)“I can give Jackie Bojor and the FRD Center my best recommendations. I have worked with Jackie and several occasions and have been most satisfied with her work and professionalism.”

Mike Stout, International Franchise Development Director, CKE Restaurants (USA)“Jackie and her team are very knowledgable of the Romanian market. Jackie went beyond expectations in arranging meetings with potential candidates for our franchise concept, including meeting with all candidates and pre-screening. Should we enter the Romanian market, we certainly plan to use Jackie and her team for consumer research and other areas that can benefit a successful launch of our brand."

Jonathan Taylor, Business Development Director, Hanson plc (UK)“I would recommend using Jackie for market entry work in Romania. Her team can produce good, quick results and is very friendly and accommodating.”

Philip Martin, Product Development Manager, Faessler AG (Switzerland)“It was a great pleasure to work together with Jackie and her team. We as a company were looking for a distributor in the Romanian market. Since we're active in a very specific market the task was not easy at all. But the dedication to our project from Jackie and her team was great and they identified our needs clearly and brought us the right results.”

Paul Thompson, International Trade Adviser, Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire & Worcestershire (UK)"I have known Jackie for several years and meet with her whenever I am in Bucharest. I have used the services of FRD Center on several occasions and have also referred companies and can, without question, confirm that any work has always been undertaken in a very friendly and professional manner. I have no doubts about recommending FRD Center".Michel Gagnon, President of Davier Consultants (Canada)“More and more Canadian companies are interested in Eastern Europe and see the potential of the region. We have been able over the last few years to assist our Clients in identifying and securing a relationship with reliable Romanian companies, either as a partner, licensee or franchisee, and all these projects were carried out in cooperation with our exclusive partner for the area, FRD Center"